Job Demand for Scientists Sees Significant Growth in January

According to WANTED Analytics, January 2013 saw more than 68,000 online job postings for scientists, despite the ongoing struggle companies’ face with recruiting qualified, science-related professionals. Over the year, science-related job ads rose by 15 percent and are up 42 percent since the beginning of the recession. Industries with the highest demand for scientists include pharmaceutical manufacturing, colleges and universities, conservation programs, life sciences and research and development, and medical and surgical hospitals.

The most commonly listed science occupations include:

• Research analyst

• Medical scientist (excluding epidemiology)

• Biological technician

• Chemist

• Environmental science and protection technician

• Clinical psychologist

• Environmental scientist

• Geoscientist

• Food scientist and technologist

• Chemical technician

The metro areas containing the highest volume of science job postings in January were New York, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. New York also experienced the highest growth for science jobs over the year, growing 25 percent compared to January 2012. Washington, D.C. saw the second highest growth rate at 24 percent, followed by Los Angeles at 23 percent.

Jobs for scientists are often those that are most difficult to recruit, and with over 11,000 employers sourcing for scientific professionals, attracting talent is heavily competitive. The most difficult recruiting conditions for science-related professions were found in Rochester, Minn. and Jefferson City, Mo. The high demand by employers in these areas, coupled with the size of the local talent pool, means more difficult recruiting and increased time-to-fill. The locations with the least difficult recruiting conditions were found to be Peoria, Ill. and Wilmington, N.C.

Joshua Bjerke, from Savannah, Georgia, focuses on articles involving the labor force, economy, and HR topics including new technology and workplace news. Joshua has a B.A. in Political Science with a Minor in International Studies and is currently pursuing his M.A. in International Security.